The present invention refers to a quick-action valve with a chamber having an inflow opening and an outflow opening and comprising a valve seat adapted to be closed by a movable valve body.
Particular applications call for quick-action valves that are able to let a fluid flow pass through abruptly and allow for a high switching frequency. Exemplary applications for such valves are spectrometers, wherein gas samples of an exactly defined volume are subjected to a spectrographic analysis, and the energizing of satellite control nozzles, as well as the field of micro systems technology. Such applications require valves with extremely short switching times and high repetition frequency.
From U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,062 a quick-action ball valve is known that comprises a ball seated in the valve seat. By means of an actuating device acting transverse to the valve seat, the ball may be dislodged from the valve seat by an impact from the side. The flow setting in due to this dislocation of the ball returns the ball back onto the valve seat. Valves of this type require a precise alignment of the impact device, and it is difficult to effect a reproducible impact movement.
The prior document PCT/EP98/05091 (published posteriorly) describes a quick-action valve wherein the valve seat is carried by an actuator that, upon an actuation signal, moves the valve seat away from the valve body faster than the valve body can follow. In this design, the distance of the valve body from the valve seat is determined by the amount by which the valve seat moves. Therefore, these valves have only relatively short opening periods.